Contradictory Sayings

can you think of any?

[lawman]

Haste makes waste.

He who hesitates is lost.

[gibbon]

[oxymoronlist.com ]

loads of oxymorons in link above

i esp like:

Microsoft Works
Government Organization

[Chicago]

LS will be the Switzerland of SEM.

[choster]

An interesting article about what proverbs say about a culture: [shoal.net.au...] , including how the Scots and the English historically took opposite lessons from "a rolling stone gathers no moss."

-----
Nothing ill said if not ill taken; still, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

Is the pen is mightier than the sword, or do actions speak louder than words?

A change is as good as a rest, but don't fix what ain't broken.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. On the other hand, familiarity breeds contempt. On the other other hand, out of sight, out of mind (or, absence makes the fond heart wander).

Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater, but one bad apple spoils the bunch.

My favorite of course, is actually a non-contradiction: great minds think alike, and fools seldom differ. :-)

[jsinger]

Much more interesting and surely maddening to foreigners are rare english words that can have contradictory meanings:
Contronyms.

At the top of the list is "sanction" which can mean to endorse or to prohibit.

You trim a Christmas tree by adding ornaments or trim fat by cutting from meat.

Dust can mean to add dust (crop duster) or to dust by cleaning with a rag.

You dress a deer by taking skin OFF.

A fireman can fight fire or stoke a fire as on a train.

Accountants increase oversight to prevent an oversight

[MonkeeSage]

"We can't be absolutely certain about anything."

Jordan

[claus]

Greatness lies in small things

i believe that one came up in a discussion here, caused by some toolbar latin

[dcheney]

There is of course the ultimate:

To every rule there is an exception, except to the rule that to every rule there is an exception, which is, of course, its exception.

[choster]

lawman, were you looking for dueling proverbs or oxymoronic aphorisms?

[lawman]

choster, you got it right; but this is Foo and its tough to corral these unbroke broncs.

[onedumbear]

can you think of any?

yes, and no

[jpalmer]

Central Intelligence Agency ... sorry ... low blow ... couldn't resist ... ;-)

<added> And who can forget the classic, purportedly attributed to one RM Nixon: "I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure that you realise that what you heard is not what I meant".

and that's all she wrote folks ...
JP

[volatilegx]

The exception proves the rule.

[martinibuster]

Ben Franklin: God helps those who help themselves.

What?

[bcolflesh]

"The Price of Peace is Eternal Vigilance"
- George C. Marshall

[txbakers]

If you don't get a second chance to make a first impression, why then if at first we don't succeed do we try, try again?

Here is a great site I found with tons of oddball information about our language:

[rinkworks.com...]

I especially like the oddities page.

[MonkeeSage]

The early-bird gets the worm, better late than never.

Jordan

[Chndru]

Hydroxyzine is the only word in the English language that contains "xyz."

Thanks for that awesome link txbakers